I'm obviously enjoying this thread, especially yours, geebee. Heifers are females that haven't produced a calf yet. But you did give some decent about how to handle steer

Another one that always amazes me is that so many people think that only bulls have horns. They are not antlers, they are horns. My bull doesn't, and my cow does (or at least did when she was a baby).

Steer will often mock charge, but they have no balls literally and figuratively. You still shouldn't trust them or turn your back. If they mock charge, stand your ground and stare them straight in the eyes and talk to them or even yell in a stern voice. It is not hard to chase them off, either.

However, bulls can be dangerous depending on the bull and what is going on around him. My bull is as mean as a spoiled rotten puppy dog. He doesn't' know any tricks, but will beg for treats and loves to be scratched behind the ears. But I don't recommend others trying this other than through the fence.

Not a very good fishing companion.

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Posted on: 2013/9/17 15:40

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"I think it's important to tell people the good and the bad of American history, not only the things that we might like to hear."

Besides the heifer thing, any young bull sold at two weeks old is almost always from a dairy breed and sell for damn cheap and often end us as veal. I know a guy who gets a couple of them for free every year, but steers them and raises them to full size.

BTW, my cattle are a UK breed.

And note no ring.

Posted on: 2013/9/17 15:52

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"I think it's important to tell people the good and the bad of American history, not only the things that we might like to hear."

The quittie (late 80's early 90's). Before they began stocking it again, I found a few stretches where the fish made it through the pollution and provided good trico fishing.

The meadow I fished had some enormous breed of white / grey cows. They would follow me up and down the banks. The youngsters were especially curious. Some would nudge me in the back almost knocking me into the stream. I told my buddy that they looked like rodeo bulls but he insisted that they were harmless. He was right until the guy added a very angry bull to the pasture. I did see him because he was back in the saplings. When we finally met, I was busy casting to a 'fish and I hear moans and lots of foot shuffling. When I turned around, he was "digging my grave" with his front hoof. I froze. He fake charged stopping a few feet from me. I sacrificed a sage rod whacking him in the eyes and nose. Didn't stop him. The next time he charged, I took my broken rod and jumped into the creek. If you've fished the mid-lower quittie, it's kind of like the letort. I was in over my waders, sinking in mud and tangled in weeds. By the time I got to the bridge and past his fence, I had to remove the suspenders and crawl up the bank in my socks. That was a long time ago and my last cow experience. I'll avoid them if possible.

Someone mentioned the farm on FS from back in the day. Fished it several times but I remember those guys being quite friendly.

No. Herefords are usually redish brown with a white face. We almost went with Herefords because they are usually mild tempered, plus my wife's step dad used to raise a couple hereford steer each year.

The color of the calf is about right for a Guernsey so that was a good guess.

Those two are both full blooded Dexter which is a breed that originated in Ireland. Black is the dominant color, but they also come in red and dun. Dexter/Kerry are the smallest of the UK breeds. By the 70s, they were nearly gone from this continent because everyone wanted bigger, but they are making a comeback. Their small size and dual (or tri-) purpose makes them perfect for the small family farm and frankly they are getting to be quite a fad. Dun apparently is the rarest, but most popular color. I sold the last dun heifer calf to a farm in Tennessee for over twice what I would have gotten if she had come out black like her parents. We are now 2 for 2 on dun heifer calves. Not bad considering I didn't even know the bull and cow carried those genes when we bought them.

Right now we have just the three dexters along with a steer that is half dexter and half British White Park. Now there is a cool breed. However, this steer takes after his mother who was a red dexter. We will be adding at least one more Dexter this fall, probably 2. One will be a steer, the other a heifer.

As far as the confusion in England about heifer and steer? Y'all must have been watching too many cartoons back in the 90s.

One of the characters was a steer named Heifer.

Posted on: 2013/9/18 7:39

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"I think it's important to tell people the good and the bad of American history, not only the things that we might like to hear."

They've killed a lot of people over the years. Never take chances with them.

Never go in a pasture where there is a bull.

This response is more of a disclaimer than anything. Troutbert gave good advice and I wasn't trying to discount this in any way with my comments. In fact, I hadn't read his before I wrote mine. The bulls can be quite dangerous. Awhile back, the father at the farm just up the road was killed by his own Angus bull.

My bull is more like a pet ... to us. However, I don't know what he would do if a stranger walked through the pasture without one of us with them.

Don't turn your back on them. They can kill someone by accident or while just playing around.

Posted on: 2013/9/18 8:01

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"I think it's important to tell people the good and the bad of American history, not only the things that we might like to hear."